As I continue on my spiritual journey, I’m becoming more aware that faith often rests on delayed reward. Very little about striving toward God happens quickly. Many of our deepest hopes and desires do not produce immediate, visible results in the world. At times, it can feel as though our prayers are going unanswered.
There are moments when I think, If God truly hears me, shouldn’t there be a clearer sign? A definitive response? Something that lets me know He is listening?
What I’ve come to understand, though, is that the act of prayer itself is the reward.
Remaining faithful.
Remaining grateful.
Remaining present—regardless of outcome.
To pray is to stay connected, not to control results. God’s love is not measured by outcomes but by presence. He hears every prayer, and He answers each one—though not always in the ways or timing we expect. Sometimes the answer is yes. Sometimes it is no. Sometimes it is not yet. And sometimes the answer arrives in a form entirely different from what we imagined.
Scripture reminds us:
“Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord.”
— Psalm 27:14
And again:
“Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”
— Galatians 6:9
To my brothers and sisters in Christ: if you find yourself weary, waiting, or wondering if God sees you—He does. Your prayers are not lost. Your faith is not unnoticed. Every quiet moment of surrender, every whispered prayer, every act of trust is drawing you closer to Him, even when you cannot yet see the fruit.
This world is not the destination—it is the pathway. Pain, suffering, and delay do not signal abandonment. God does not forsake His children. What feels like waiting is often God doing a deeper work within us, shaping our hearts for what is to come.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
— Jeremiah 29:11
I give thanks to God for revealing this truth to me: prayer does not delay reward—it draws us closer to Him. And in that closeness, all things are possible.
Closing Prayer
Lord,
Teach us to trust You in the waiting. Strengthen our hearts when answers feel delayed, and remind us that You are always near. Help us remain faithful, grateful, and present, knowing that You hear every prayer and hold every tear. We place our hope in You alone.
Amen.
